The Michigan Daily-Saturday, July 28, 1979--Page 15 Smith's goal: An excellent 'U (Continued from Page 13) University in 1946. He concluded that a president can have an enormous in- fluence on the University, but that the influences might not be immediately felt. "It's indirect," Smith said. "As head of the institution, people look to you for leadership. The president is responsible for what happens at the University" Smith added there were very few things for which he was directly responsible. SMITH WON'T give himself credit for what has happened with such issues as the new University Hospital plans, or other projects and issues he has dealt with in his short administration. "I don't look at it like that," Smith says. "They're not my successes or failures, but institutional successes or failures.' He said he has been pleased, though, in being able to share in some of the "excitement" at the University since he has been in office. "I enjoyed following the student Union," Smith said, referring to the January Regents meeting when the Regents decided to allow the Michigan Union to be renovated, and turned control of it to the Office of Student Services. "I was really excited about that," Smith said. HE ALSO DISCUSSED the disrup- tions at the March and April Regents' meetings when students and others protested against the University's holdings in companies which do business in South Africa. "What happened then is something I Alene Smith combines tradition and progress (Continued from Page 13) campus events, of which many young people may never have heard. She remembers when old Haven Hall, which stood next to Angell Hall, burned down. She remembers When North Campus didn't exist. Smith also has seen a "population ex- plosion" at the University. "The student body was smaller, the faculty was smaller, when we first came," she recalls with a smile. "The law school faculty was between 20 and 25. Now, of course, it has doubled." Smith says she and her husband have no definite plans for the fall term, although "Allan has a firm commit- ment to be back in the classroom in January (for Winter Term, 1980)." OVERALL, Smith seems to be satisfied. She says she enjoyed her family and her community work. But she is well aware that her life is hardly the norm for most people. "I suppose because of Allan's job, I've had a more interesting life than others," she ad- mits. But for all that she appears to have traditional values, Smith keeps an open mind. "A woman president is not a far- out idea," she asserts. "I'm sure there are women candidates (for the Univer- sity presidency). When Allan was Law School Dean, I thought I had a full-time job (as the wife of a dean). Now deans' wives have jobs." Still, she says she has no regrets that she did not have a career. "I did work the first years we were married and I went back to work (in the 1950s) in the Office of Religious Affairs as a secretary. But I wouldn't change my life." - won't forget for a long time-maybe' never," Smith said. He said the "memorable event" took a lot of "ner- vous energy." The issue of divestment is something Smith will likely be forced to deal with during his final months as interim University president. Protestors have said they will continue to take their issue to the Regents until the matter is resolved. "I BELIEVE the Regents will adopta policy which will be a reasonable one, which they won't have to review every month. But, as you can see, there is ob- viously more than one point of view among the Regents now," Smith said. He shows a strong pride in the University when he speaks of it, and maintains that it should remain a neutral institution. One of his favorite subjects is the issue of academic freedom, something he says the new University president must take stronger and stronger measures to maintain. "A president has to be able to under- stand the purpose and nature of a University like this one. Our job is to serve, and the extent we can serve, depends on maintaining academic freedom," Smith said. Seven months as president have rein- forced Smith's belief that the Univer- sity is "probably the best, if not the best" in the nation. 0' 1 1 a I Student Newspaper at The University of Michigan :--M--- ---- WRITE YOUR AD HERE! --------. I - - -- - --CI AND MAIL TODAY!--------..iI USE THIS HANDY CHART TO QUICKLY ARRIVE AT AD COSTI Sords 1 2 3 4 5 add. 0-14 1.70 3.40 4.60 5.80 7.00 1.00 I 15-21 2.55 5.10 6.90 8.70 10.50 1.50 werethcad 22-28 3.40 6.80 9.20 11.60 14.00 2.00 forrn 291 .515 1.01.01.5 .0 '"i 935 t.L OtJ I~jJ I'.JV Il.V LJtJ help wanted 36-42 5.10 10.20 13.80 17.40 21.00 3.00 roommate I I1 43-49 6.80 11.90 16.10 20.30 24.50 3.50 etc- Seven words per line. Each group of characters counts as one ward. I I Hyphenated words aver 5 characters count as two words-This includes telephone numbers. With Che C ku Gsslfleds, The MIchIgan Dully MailwithChec to:420 Maynurd 1 AnnArbor,MI 48109 I NAMF ADDRESS CITY PHC M -J.